Sidereal sphere.



D. R. SGHOLES. SIDEREAL SPHERB.

APPLIoATIoN FILED 111111227, 1913.

Patented June 9, 1914.

NITE STATES PATENT OFFICE DANIEL R. SCHOLES, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNOR TO THE AERMOTOR COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OFILLINOIS.

SIDEREAL SPI-1ERE.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Beit known that I, DANIEL R. Sorrows, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a cert-ain new andl useful Improvement in Sidereal Spheres, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification.

In the sidereal sphere of the United States Patent No. 1,019,405 to W.IV. Atwood, dated March 5, 1912, an observers platform was employed,necessitating complete entry of observers within the sphere in order toview the simulated heavens, this construction being expensive and,moreover, ill adapted to spheres of smaller diameters.

By means of my `invention an observer may stand within the sphere uponthe same general level upon which the structure 1s supported, wherebythe platform within the sphere may be dispensed with.

In the preferred Construction the sphere, which has an axis of rotationinclined with respect to the horizontal, is formed of thin material andhas a band or ring engaging the sphere in its equatorial plane, therebeing` a mounting upon which the ring 1s rotatably supported. The sphereis preferably made of sheet galvanized steel one sixtyfourth of an inchthick. This sphere is preferably provided with sufiiciently minuteperfoi-ations to enable light to shine through from the exterior torepresent stars. The employment of said rotatably supported ring and thesmall perforations is not new with me. i

The lower polar zone is removed to permit of entry within the sphere.Where star simulating perforations are formed in the sphere, the openingthat is afforded by the removal of the lower polar zone is provided witha light excluding closure. A stationary horizon ring is disposed closeto and within the sphere on a horizontal plane that in` cludes thecenter of the sphere. Another stationary ring margins the entrance tothe sphere. These two rings areV connected by a view obstructing screento limit the observation of the spectators within the sphere to thestellar representations appearing above the horizon ring.

I will explain my invention more fully by reference to the accompanyingdrawing Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 27, 1913.

atented June 9, 1914i.

Serial No. 776,052.

showingthe preferred embodiment thereof and in which`- Figure l is aview in sectional elevation; Fig. 2 1s an external perspective view;Fig. 3 shows a detail of construction employed at the entrance to thesphere; and Fig. t is a sectional view illustrating the starrepresenting perforationsin the sphere shell.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughoutthe different figures.

The inclined axis of rotation of the sphere c is represented by the lineZJ. The sphere, which is desirably of very thin sheet metal, preferablyhas a number of star representing perforations c formed therethrough sothat light may shine into the sphere interior from the sphere exteriorto simulate stars. A supporting ring (Z surrounds the sphere in itsequatorial plane and there engages it. A standard e rotatably supportsthree pulleys f which are spaced one hundred and twenty degrees apart,these pulleys rotatably supporting the ring Z in its inclined position,whereby the sphere may be turned upon its axis indicated at Y). Theopening formed at the lower end of the sphere a by the removal of thebottom zone is provided with a bordering ring g rotating with thesphere. A stationary ring It margins the entrance opening, is formedpreferably of angle iron and so positioned as to obstruct the passage oflight between the rings g and L, and is secured at one place directly tothe horizon ring z', distance preserving pieces 7c intervening at otherplaces between these two rings. The bottom portion of the stationaryring 7L is secured to the middle of the strutil which is attached at itsends to the horizontal stretches of the support c which, together withthe strut Z, rest directly upon the floor m or other substantiallyhorizontal level support (that is a support that lies in. the samehorizontal plane) that supports the sphere.

A light excluding closure is provided for 'the entrance opening to thesphere, this closure being preferably formed of heavy cloth fabric hungbefore the entrance in the form of two curtains, depending from ring 7L,n between which an observer may readily pass. The entrance opening isunobstructed, except for these light excluding curtains, so that theobserver, while walking upon the floor m which supports the sphere, mayreadily enter without ascending, the forwardly inclined entrance openingdirectly Y circular border to the horizon ring and at its l wer circularborder to the stationary ring It. Thus there are two distinct portionsof the passage entered by the observer, one tlie vestibule formed' bythe kcurtains n, and the other the light interceptingr screen 0terminating at its upper end at'the vhorizon ring 2' and at its lowerend at lthe entrancer opening to the sphere.

lVhile I have herein shown and particularly described Vthe preferredembodiment of my invention I do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction shown as changes may readily be made withoutdeparting from the spirit 'of my invention, but

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent the following l. A hollow sidereal sphere having amounting upon which it is rotatably supported and deiining an axis ofrotation for the sphere which is inclined with respect to thehorizontal, the sphere presenting stellar representations to view withinits interior and having a bott-om zone removedY to form a forwardlyinclined entrance opening thereto; and a support for the sphere whichunderlies the same and the inclined entrance opening thereto, theportions of this support that underlie the sphere and the inclinedentrance opening to the sphere being disposed substantially in onehorizontal plane whereby the observer may view the stellarrepresentationsV while upon a level within `the sphere that is in thesame general plane as the support for the sphere therein.

2. A hollow sidereal sphere having a mounting uponwhich it isrotatablysupported and deiining an axis of rotation for the sphere which isinclined with respect to the horizontal, the sphere presenting stellarrepresentations to view within its interior and having a bottom zoneremoved to form a forwardly inclined entrance opening thereto; a screenyfor obliterating stellar representations below a horizontal line; and asupport for the sphere which underlies the same and the inclinedentranceopening G0 thereto, the portions of this support that underliethe spherefand the` inclined entrance opening to the sphere beingdisposed sub-Y stantially in one horizontal plane whereby the observermay view the stellar representations while upon a level withinthe spherethat isili the same general plane as the support for the sphere therein,said screen permitting such .entry. y Y

3. A .hollow sidereal lsphere having ja lmounting upon which it isrotatably sup-V ported and defining an axis of rotationfor the spherewhichV is inclined with respect "to the horizontal,A the spherepresenting.

stellar representations-to view within its interior and having a bottomzone removed to form a forwardlyinclinedientrance opening thereto, ahorizon ring within the sphere;

means for supporting'the horizon ring, a view obstructing screenterminating at its upper end atthe horizon ringy and at its lower end atthe sphere entrance thereby to surround the observer, this .screen beingopen at its bottom and top ends to permit the observer to enter and viewthe stellar representations and a support for the sphere which underliesthe same and the inclined entrance openingV thereto, the portions of.

within the sphere that is in the same general plane as the support forthe sphere.

4. A hollow sidereal sphere having a mounting Vupon which it isrotatably supported Vand definingan axis `of rotation for the spherewhich'is inclined with respect tOi the horizontal, the sphere havingperforations therein to permit of the passage of light between theexterior and interiorgof the sphere, these perforations beingsu'flifciently minute to represent stars, and having a bottom zoneremoved to form a vforwardly inclined entrance opening thereto; a

stationary ring margining the entrance opening; a horizon ring withinthe sphere; aview obstructing screen terminating at its y upper end atthe horizon ring and 'at Vits lower end at the sphere entrance therebyto surround the observer, this screen beingk open at its bottom and topends to vpermit the observer to enter and view the stellarrepresentations; andY a light excluding clofrom the ring that marginsythe entrance opening.

5. A hollow sidereal the sphere which is Vinclined with respect to thehorizontal, the sphere presenting stellar representations to view withinits interior and having a bottom zone removed to forniV at its lower endat the sphere entrance thereHV .sphere having a Y mounting upon which itis rotatably sup ported and defining an axis of rotation for vsure linthe form of a curtain depending .1715' disposed substantially in onehorizontal plane whereby the observer may view the stellarrepresentations While upon :t levelV Within the sphere that :is in thesame gen- 15 eral plane as the support for the sphere.

In witness whereof7 I hereunto subscribe my naine this 25th day of June,A. D. 1913 DANIEL R. SCHOLES. Witnesses:

G. L. CRAGG, E'r'rA L. WHITE.

by to surround the observer, this screen being open at its bottom undtop ends to permit the observer to enter and View the stellarrepresentations; :t light excluding clos sure in the form of a curtaindepending from the ring that margins the entrance opening; and a supportfor the sphere which underlies the same and the inclined entranceopening thereto, the portions of this support that underlie the sphereand the inclined entrance opening to the sphere being ve cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for Washington, D. C.

